Backcountry
by MetaAuria
Summary: Caenth Trueheart is a solitary hunter, searching for her Stormcloak lover. This search reveals her true destiny and to the future of Skyrim.
1. Chapter 1

10:14 Sundas, 17th of Last Seed, 4E201

Caenth stirred, but she was unable to open her eyes. Everything felt heavy. She was sitting on something uncomfortably hard, and… was she moving? She couldn't move her hands, so she tried to pry her eyes open. The sunlight was strong, which confused her because it had been evening when she was in the Stormcloak camp. What had happened? Why was the morning sun making her head throb? Her eyes focused and she saw that she was in the back of some type of cart. Caenth looked down at her hands, and saw that she was bound with rope. She couldn't remember what happened or how she had gotten that way. That was when he spoke to her.

"Hey. You. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? You walked right into that imperial ambush, same as us."

It hit Caenth like a ton of bricks. The Stormcloak camp! The ambush. She had gone to the camp to find out where Finick's regiment had gone. When he had left several weeks ago, he told her that his unit was going to Ivarstad to reinforce the Stormcloak presence in the Rift. But that was before. Now she had to find him, and she had gone to the camp in Falkreath Hold that he had been stationed at, to find out if anyone knew where he was. She walked all day from her cabin in the Jerall Mountains, and by early evening, reached the camp. It was the farthest she had ever been away from home, before. When she arrived at the camp, most of the men were around the fire, sharing their meal and mead. A few were sleeping. She walked towards a young soldier with long dark hair, and asked him if he knew Finick. He didn't. She moved on and asked an older man, who was sitting alone closer to the fire. He did recognize that name, and confirmed for her that his unit had made its way to Ivarstead. Caenth sat by the man, prepared to ask more questions, when she heard shouting in the distance. The clang of swords alerted her to trouble. As she turned around, someone rushed her and she fell hitting her head. That was all that she remembered.

As Caenth absorbed these thoughts, she realized that the man in the cart was still talking. He was wearing the Stormcloak armor that Finick also wore, and was arguing with another man in the cart. This other man didn't look as noble in his clothes. They were rough homespun, and dirty. Caenth turned her head to look at the last man in the cart, and as she did a wave of nausea swept over her. She had to find Finick. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she saw the last man looking at her. He was dressed in very fine and expensive attire. His clothes were nicer than anything Caenth had ever seen, but he had some sort of rag tied around his head, gagging him. He lost interest in her and looked out of the cart. That is when she noticed that the dirty man was speaking to her.

"You and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." the Stormcloak growled out.

The driver yelled at the men to be quiet. Caenth was finally grasping the situation she was in and was feeling more and more panicked. The thief asked about the third man in the cart, the man with the gag.

" Watch your tongue! You're speaking with Ulfric Stormcloak. The TRUE High King." The Stormcloak said as he chastised the thief.

Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm and the leader of the Stormcloaks! Caenth was relieved that he was here. He could help her find Finick. If only she knew where they were going…

The cart turned a corner, and a village came into sight. Caenth thought that it was beautiful, and so big! She had only ever lived in the mountains with her hunter parents, and had never been to a village before. Her father had always made the trips to Falkreath when they needed supplies, and after her mother died a few years ago, and her father last year, she had never needed to make the trip. There were so many people. She saw some men on horses, facing each other. They were tall and wore strange robes. They were elves! The Stormcloak called them Thalmor, and she recognized that name. Finick had ranted about the Thalmor and their invasion of Skyrim. She studied them closely as the cart went around the corner. She had never seen anyone other than the other Nord hunters who came up through the forest near her cabin. She, of course, knew about the Elves, Orsimer, Khajiit, and the strange lizard Argonians, but she had never seen them. She had met an Imperial trader once, who strayed from the trail to Bruma, but he had been quite arrogant, and didn't acknowledge or thank Caenth for the assistance she offered him to get him on his way. She didn't think highly of Imperials after that.

Her panic started to return when the cart pulled into a square full of Imperial soldiers and hit the end of the line. The Stormcloak told her that they were in Helgen, which was northeast of Falkreath. The soldiers forced the prisoners to get out of the cart and called them name by name, to the front. A soldier with a ledger stood recording their names.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm."

Caenth watched Ulfric walk away, and that is when she saw it. Her eyes grew round. It was a chopping block! They were going to execute the Stormcloaks! They couldn't do that. Caenth looked around to find someone, anyone to help them.

"Ralof of Riverwood." The Imperial soldier announced.

That was the Stormcloak's name. Ralof of Riverwood. She didn't know Riverwood. She watched him walk towards the line to the block. How was he so calm? Her hear was racing and she started to step forward to speak with the soldier, when he called the next prisoner.

"Lokir of Rorikstead."

As his name was called, the thief pushed passed her and started to run back up the hill. He was screaming that they would never catch him, but Caenth was an experienced hunter. She had lived and hunted in the wilds, all of her life. She saw the fine, giant bows that the archers had, and when she heard the call, she knew he was doomed. The archers pulled their bows, and let their arrows fly. Lokir was hit in the back and he fell to the ground. Caenth had seen death before. The animals she had hunted, her mother dying of Ataxia, her father from a spider bite, but those were long, anticipated deaths. This was murder. Caenth choked back a scream, and met the eyes of the Imperial as he spoke to her.

"Wait. You there. Step forward."

Caenth tripped forward, unsure if her legs would continue to support her. The nausea was back.

"Who are you?" The soldier studied her as if he didn't understand what he was seeing before him.

"Caenth Trueheart, daughter of Jakob Trueheart." she replied, weakly.

"You picked a bad time to come home to Skyrim, kinsmen. Captain, what should we do? She's not on the list?"

The captain was not really paying attention to their conversation, as she was eyeing Ulfric. "Forget the list, she goes to the block."

Caenth looked frantically at the soldier, begging with her eyes for him to say something.

"By your orders, Captain. I'm sorry. At least you'll die here, in your homeland. Follow the captain prisoner."

Caenth felt like the breath was kicked out of her. How could it end like this? She hadn't done anything! She just wanted to find Finick. If she died here, he would never know! He would go back to the cabin, and think that she had died while out on a hunting trip, or worse! That she had left him! This couldn't happen. Caenth eyed the walls around the enclosure, looking for a place to escape. She remembered what had happened to the thief, but she was quick. Years of chasing after foxes and elk had made her light on her feet. As she looked for an exit, an unearthly howl swept down from the surrounding mountains. It wasn't human, but not quite animal. Caenth, along with everyone else in the square, looked to the sky. There was nothing. The execution continued.

The Priestess began to give them last rites. Caenth hadn't ever been overly religious, but her father had been a strong follower of Talos, even after worship had been banned. In their small valley, it didn't matter. There was no Empire presence to take away their little shrine. Her mother prayed to Arkay for health and security, and she prayed when it was necessary.

The first man became impatient and interrupted the priestess. He dropped down in front of the block as the executioner hefted his battle axe. The executioner was the largest man Caenth had ever seen. Built like a bear. Caenth bent over at the waist; sure she was going to be sick. As she heaved, the axe fell and his head rolled into the basket. She saw blood everyday as she hunted, but she wasn't prepared for the gush that sprayed out of his severed neck as his lifeless body fell off the block.

She heard Ralof from somewhere on her right. "As fearless in death, as he was in life."

Caenth turned to look at him when she heard the captain shout: "Next, the Nord in the rags!" Caenth looked around to see who was next, and noticed that every eye was on her. Her heart jumped in her throat, and she felt her knees buckle when another howl came down the mountain. This one louder, closer. The howl was from another world, unlike anything Caenth had ever heard before. The soldiers shrugged off the noise, and pushed her to the block. With her body shaking, she laid her head down on the block, blood sticking to the side of her face, and looked up at the executioner. Just as he lifted his blade, she saw a hawk fly up behind him. No, that was no hawk. It was too big. The creature flew towards them at an unnatural speed, and crashed on top of the tower behind the executioner. It was huge, with black scales covering its body, and wings that spread for miles. As it settled on the tower, the world shook, and Caenth just stared. The creature seemed to be staring right into her eyes, looking into her very soul. It looked as if it recognized her. Then it spoke, and the world went red. It shouted again, and Caenth was blown off the block and to the ground. She heard someone yell, 'Dragon!'. As Caenth stumbled to her feet, she heard Ralof call to her, and she ran towards his voice and into a building. She could hear the screech of the dragon, the crashing of stone, and the screams of people as she ran for cover.

Once inside, she saw Ulfric, and wanted to follow him, but Ralof was pulling her up the stairs towards the roof. Just as they rounded the corner, the dragon punched through the wall and unleashed a wall of flames that singed Caenth's clothes. She froze in place as the dragon flew away. Ralof and her looked out of the new window in the wall, and saw destruction everywhere. She could hardly see the village that had been there moments before. He turned to her "You are going to have to jump, we will follow behind you when we can."

Instinct took over, and Caenth took a flying leap to the rafters of the next house. Her hands were still bound, but she found her footing and ran through the ruins of the house towards the door. Once out in the hope, with the dragon still swooping mere feet above her head, she ran into the Imperial soldier, who was trying to protect a small child. When she made eye contact with him, instead of looking angry at her escape, he looked relieved. He grabbed her arm. " It's just you and me, prisoner. Let's keep moving."

Caenth followed the soldier through the camp, making her way towards the keep. As they were coming behind some buildings, the soldier pushed her roughly to the wall. That is when she noticed the blood slowly running down her leg. Seconds went by, and the dragon crashed down on the wall behind them, and Caenth was trapped under its leather wing, unable to move. The dragon unleashed its fire-breath, and scorched the house in front of them. Caenth could hear the screams of the inhabitants hiding inside. Just as suddenly as he appeared, the dragon took off again, and Caenth was free to move through the ruins, following the soldier. She stopped suddenly.

"Fus Ro DAH!"

Did the dragon just speak? Caenth felt a tugging at the back of her mind. Somehow she knew the dragon was speaking and could almost, in her subconsciousness, understand him.

Just as they reached the keep, Ralof crossed their path carrying a sword he had lifted from one of the dead. "Ralof, you damn traitor! Outta my way." the Imperial spit at him.

"We're escaping, Hadvar. You're not stopping us this time." he replied while brandishing his stolen sword.

"Fine! I hope the dragon takes you all to Sovngarde."

Ralof headed towards the keep, and trusting him more than Hadvar, Caenth followed, still bleeding down her leg.

Once inside, Caenth released the breath that she didn't know she was holding and tried to still her pounding heart. Ralof ran on ahead, and stopped to check on a man on the floor who was cloaked in Stormcloak armor. He was obviously dead.

"It looks like we're the only ones who made it. Caenth, right? You're bleeding."

"Ugh, I know. I am not sure if it is my blood or not.." she replied.

"That thing was a dragon , no doubt. Just like the children's stories." Ralof told, her as she tried to struggle with her bindings. They were tied tight and she didn't have enough room to slip them off.

"Come here, let me see if I can get those bindings off." Caenth stepped forward, and Ralof grabbed a dagger from his fallen comrade and slit the rope.

"You better take Gunjar's gear, he won't be needing it anymore."

"What? Off his body? It's not fitting to strip the dead. Also, I don't think it would fit me." Caenth said, incredulously.

"Just do it." Ralof commanded, as he began undressing the body.

Caenth had never been modest. Growing up in the forest, you often had to clean up in the open. She shrugged off her tunic, and took the cuirass that Ralof offered. She had never worn armor before, and the metal and leather felt heavy. She wasn't sure if she could move in them. She torn the stained wrappings off her feet, and pulled on the fur boots. They were way too large, so she stuffed the wrappings into the toes to make them fit.

"Give that axe a few swings. I am going to see if I can find us a way out of here."

Caenth hefted Gunjar's hand axe. It was heavier than her usual dagger, but she had chopped wood for her cabin, and the weight felt similar. As she was swinging the axe around, shouting could be heard up ahead.

Ralof pushed her towards the wall. " Imperials, take cover"

Caenth could see the outline of the Imperial Captain, who a short time ago had wanted her head. " It's the escaped prisoners!"

Caenth decided right then and there that she wasn't going to go back on that bloody block. As the soldiers swarmed into the hall, Caenth limbered up her axe, and fell into her fighting stance that she learned when fighting with skeevers.

Her axe was true, and it found its mark, hitting the first soldier on the shoulder. Caenth knew that Ralof was behind her grappling with the captain. He was an experienced fighter, he could deal with her. Her soldier was less experienced, some farm boy from the plains. He was much slower with his sword. He was lucky though. One slice upward with the sword, and he grazed her arm, which started bleeding. This pushed Caenth further, the experiences and horrors of the day compounding in her brain, and she lifted her axe and swiped it across his neck. She didn't quite decapitate him, but it did its job.

Behind her, she heard the crash of metal, as Ralof finished off the captain. They quickly looted the bodies, and Caenth took two daggers. She was much more comfortable fighting with a dagger. She didn't have time to absorb her first kill, as she quickly pushed through the doorway and down into the bowels of the keep. They stumbled into another hallway, and could see more Imperials rushing towards them. Just as Caenth was drawing her blade, a roar echoed through the rocks, and the ceiling came crashing down just feet from Ralof, and burying the Imperial soldiers.

"Damn, that dragon doesn't give up easy. I wonder what he is after? Why would he attack the buildings?" Ralof mused as they ran into the next room, which seemed to be some kind of kitchen or storeroom. They defeated some more Imperial soldiers, and took any food and potions they came across, and ran out the back.

Ralof went ahead, and Caenth could hear him mutter to himself. "Trolls blood! A torture room." Caenth jogged to catch up, and she heard fighting break out. The room was filled with cages, and Ralof and another Stormcloak were in the mix with two Imperials. They didn't look like soldiers, though. One was old and twisted looking. They easy dispatched the Imperials, and began searching the room.

"Was Ulfric with you?" Ralof pressed his comrade. "No, not since the dragon showed up." he replied.

Ralof went quiet. "Wait a second. There is something in that cage. " Turning to Caenth, he said "See if you can get it open with some picks."

Caenth wasn't feeling very well, and all the blood in the torture chamber was making her sick. Her bleeding had started again. She went over to a small table that was holding a satchel. As she grabbed the bag, a book fell out. She quickly scanned the title and stuffed it back in the bag. _Book of the Dragonborn. _How appropriate. Caenth knew how to read, and enjoyed it. It was one of the finer skills her mother had taught her, in hopes of instilling some more ladylike qualities in Caenth. She searched the satchel and found the picks. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she made her way to the cages to see if she could unlock them. This wasn't a skill she had ever developed.

After breaking many picks, she was finally able to open three cages. Inside one cage was a skeleton which had obviously been there for many years, but in the middle cage, there was a recently dead mage. The smell was overwhelming, and tears sprang to her eyes as she surveyed the damage done to the mage by the torturers instruments. She grabbed some gold coins, and a spellbook, but she did not touch the mage. Divines bless his soul...

The torture room just kept going. There were dead men suspended from the ceiling in tiny cages. Caenth could barely control her tears as they ran through. She continued to say silent prayers for each body. The back of the torture room opened up into an underground cave, which looked to be a secret way out. Caenth was never comfortable in caves. Growing up in the wild, with all of the open land and sky, caves felt too confining. Her skin started to crawl as she quietly ran on behind her other two Stormcloak companions.

The cave opened into a cavern and she could hear voices. More Imperials. Caenth whipped out her daggers, and moved towards the closest target. Once he was put down, she went to join her friends, but she was too late and she watched the second Stormcloak get impaled on an Imperial sword. Ralof had switched to dual axes and took out the remaining foes. When Caenth bent down to check on the fallen Stormcloak, she heard the whistle of an arrow. She rolled out of the way, and the arrow embedded into the stone beside her. She sprang up and started to charge at the archers, weaving to avoid their barrage.

"STAY BACK!" yelled Ralof, as he grabbed a bow and arrows off of one of the dead. The ground was slick with oil, like someone had spilled a lantern. She could see the lanterns on the ceiling, and she watched as Ralof aimed for one right over the head of the archers. He hit it with one arrow, and the lantern fell and ignited the oil. The archers caught fire and perished. The heat was oppressive and it reminded her of the dragon circling around above their heads. Which was worse? Staying in the caves she hated, or going topside and being scorched by the dragon? She looked around the cavern, with all the dead and burnt bodies, and she decided to try her luck with the dragon.

So many dead. She couldn't think about that now. She would have to say her prayers and ask for forgiveness later. She ran behind Ralof, who was still leading the way. She wanted to take the bows off the Imperial archers, but she knew that the fire would be burning for some time. They skirted the flames and headed out the other end of the cavern. That is when she noticed the arrow sticking out of Ralof's shoulder.

"Ralof, stop! You are injured!"

"I know, but I can't get it out, the arrow as gone clean through." he said as he ground his teeth from the pain.

"I can get it out, let me snap the arrow at the base, and then we can pull it out the other side." Caenth said as she approached him. Ralof sat on the ground and clenched his fists.

"Just do it."

She wanted to take his armor off and examine the wound, but there was no time. These caves were crawling with Imperials. Caenth pulled out a healing potion and handed it to him. She took her dagger and carefully but firmly grasped the front the arrow. She snapped it off, and Ralof moaned quietly in pain. The arrow head fell to the floor.

"Almost done, Ralof." Caenth then gripped the back of the arrow, which stuck out of his chest, and pulled. Ralof yelled, and immediately slammed the healing potion down his throat. Caenth took some rags out of her bag, and tightly wrapped his wound. She was only a minor healer. His wound would need to be looked at once they got out of here.

Once Ralof had caught his breath, they were up and running again. He grabbed a torch off the wall, as the light in this part of the cave was nonexistent. As they ran, they could hear the dragon overhead, through the rocks. Then a crash and Caenth felt herself being thrown. The ceiling had collapsed, but the force had luckily thrown her out of the way. She picked herself up, and felt around. She was ok. The bleeding had stopped, for now.

Ralof turned to her. "No going back that way. Better push on. Ah, what next..."

They found an underground stream, and followed to the stream down to try to find an exit. It had to lead somewhere. They stumbled into another cavern. This place never ends! Caenth heard skittering that sounded familiar. She looked up just as a giant Frostbite spider dropped from the ceiling. She knew how to deal with these, and she gracefully weaved in and out between the spiders as she killed them one by one. There were six, in all.

"Wait a minute, Ralof. You could use their poison for your arrows." Caenth crouched and collected 4 venom pouches off the spiders. She took the empty healing potion bottle from Ralof, and carefully poured the poison inside, without letting it touch her skin.

"Where did you learn that?" Ralof asked.

"I have dealt with these creatures before. I hunt in the Jerall Mountains often. Let's keep going."

They continued their trek through the caves, and finally they could see some light coming from the end of the tunnel. Ralof put out a hand to stop her and whispered:

"Wait! There is a bear up ahead. Do you see her? I would rather not tangle with her in our condition. Let's try to sneak by."

"A bear? Give me your bow and arrows. I think I can take her out." Ralof handed his bow and arrows to Caenth and she tipped a little of the spider venom onto one arrowhead. She lifted the bow and pulled the wire, like she had done a thousand times before. She aimed and let the arrow fly. It hit its mark, and the bear roared, enraged. It started towards the duo, but soon wobbled and dropped dead.

"By the gods, woman! That was a great shot!"

"Thank you, Ralof. Let's quickly skin this bear. I have no money, and we could use this pelt to sell." Caenth knelt down and made quick work of the bear with her dagger. She wrapped the bloody pelt and stuffed it in her bag. They better get to a town soon, her bag was getting pretty heavy.

As they walked through the cave, Ralof noted that they were going upwards again. They could see light! Caenth was never so relieved to be out of the dank cave.


	2. Chapter 2

The air felt cool and clean on her skin after being in the stuffy, oppressive cave. Caenth took deep lungfuls of air, as if she was trying to cleanse the day's toxins from her body. She brushed off dirt and dust from her armor, and shook out her dark honey hair, which was stuck to her head with sweat and blood.

"Well, that was something, wasn't it girl?" Ralof said. He gave her a little smirk as he watched her try to right herself. Just as he turned to look at her, his eyes scanned up behind her. "Wait!" The dragon's bellow echoed down the mountain side. Caenth followed the path of Ralof's eyes, but was unable to spot the monster.

"There he goes. Looks like he is gone for good this time. No way to know if anyone else made it out alive. Let's get out of here, before someone realizes that there are prisoners missing among the dead."

He started marching down the path away from Helgen, and Caenth followed behind him. She had trouble keeping up with him, because she kept stopping to look around at the Skyrim backcountry. Her home in the Jerall Mountains was beautiful forest, but it was snow-covered most of the year, and she rarely got to see the flowers in full bloom and the butterflies flutter around. She had no idea how beautiful the lowlands could be. She kept staring at her surroundings until she walked straight into the back of Ralof, who had stopped to readjust his own worn armor.

"Oof! Watch it, girl. No need to knock me down the mountain. Maybe it would be best if we split up… There will be Imperial's everywhere once they learn what happened in Helgen. My sister Gerdur runs a mill down in the village of Riverwood, which isn't far from here. She would help you, I am sure of it. You need to get your wound looked at, as well."

"Split up? I couldn't have made it this far without your help, Ralof. I would be still sitting on that block. Would you mind if I tagged along with you to the village? I don't yet have my bearings, and I don't want to get lost after everything we have dealt with today. I also have to figure out how to get to Ivarstead." Caenth replied, hoping the rocksteady Nord would agree. She truly didn't have any idea where she was. Sure she could track and figure out directions from her hunting experience, but she still fell ill and lightheaded. Following was easier, for the time being.

"Ok, maybe you're right. Just watch where you are going!" Ralof gave her a hard look, but as he turned away, she could see the start of a smile he was trying to suppress. This Nord was surprising, and Caenth felt herself liking him immensely. He was familiar as a Nord man, but was much more reliable than most she had met. He lived and breathed the rebellion, and not for any righteous gain for himself, but because, she thought, that he truly wanted to see Skyrim prosper.

"You should think about joining us at Windhelm. We could use your talents with a bow, and we need soldiers who can navigate the inaccessible mountains between us and the Empire. And after today, you've seen the true face of the Empire. Come to think of it, how did you end up on the back of that cart?"

"It's a long story, but…." Caenth started but was interrupted by another howl. But this one wasn't the howl of an up-until now mythical creature, but the very real and common howl of the wolf. The solitary animal was joined in song by two, three, four other friends, and the Nords soon realized that they were surrounded.

"I hate these damn fur pelts." Ralof said as he unsheathed his sword. "They are dirty fighters, not like true Nords."

Caenth had fought wolves before, but usually only one at a time, and she knew how challenging they were. They stood back-to-back waiting for the first attack. The wolf on Caenth's right lunged, and she barely managed to turn and swing her arm out of the way. She pushed the blade of her left dagger into the soft, fleshy underside of the wolves head. The wolf dropped and she pulled the knife free. Ralof behind her was shouting battle cries like he was facing the entire Imperial army alone.

"You should have never come here, fur-breath! I'm going to gut you and send your entrails to your mother!" He hacked and slashed his way through the pack, fur flying. "I need a new coat, dog!"

If Caenth hadn't been busy trying to block the razor-sharp teeth of the wolf trying to snap her neck, she would have giggled at Ralof's fury. She finally took down the last wolf, as Ralof was skinning a pelt. She hoped they would get to Riverwood, soon. She couldn't handle any more physical exertion. She made Ralof carry the pelts as her pilfered satchel was already full of other acquired items from their escape from Helgen.

They walked in silence for some time, their exhaustion visible on their faces. As they were coming around a bend in the road, Caenth spied three vertical stones hiding in the grass off the side of the road. She walked closer, trying to make out the designs on the stones. They were an oval shape, with a hole carved in the middle. There was a drawing of a person on each stone. One with a battleaxe, a true Nord, one with a cloak and dagger, and one with an old man wearing a robe and waving a staff.

"Are these…"

"Aye, girl. The Guardian stones. There are 3 here, the rest spread around Skyrim, and I have heard that they are tied to the stars. They say that the stones are good luck and grant boons to you, depending on who you are. As kids we always used to come up here and touch the stones to see if we would be granted any special gifts, but I am no stronger than any other man. I think they are just decorative stones, designed by someone who had too much time."

"Well, it can't hurt to rub the stone for good luck. I could use it." Caenth said as she walked up to the stones to contemplate which she should approach. She could rule the mage right out. She didn't trust magic, even though her mother had been a healer. She'd had a gift with healing magic, and would often rescue hurt animals to practice. Following in the footsteps of her father, Caenth abjured magic and never learned. She could mix healing potions, and knew basic alchemy. You had to know which plants helped and hurt when you were on a long, solitary hunt in the forest.

The shadow stone was interesting, and while she couldn't quite blend into the shadows like many hunters, she could be silent on her feet. In the end, the Nord Warrior called to her. There was something she liked about his stance, and she imagined Finick's face on the solemn stone. She could use the luck of the warrior after the excitement of the day. She reached out to lay her palm on the stone, which felt warm to the touch. Nothing happened. She sighed and started to turn back when the stone started to glow and a ray of light shot out of the top and far up into the sky. Caenth started to glow as well. She removed her hand from the stone, and it went dark.

"B..By the gods…" Ralof murmured, as she watched her. "The legend really is true. Dragons and magical stones, what else is there in the world?" He ran up to touch the stone just as she had, but it remained dark. "You must have used up all its energy, girl." He said disappointed.

He turned back and started double time toward the village. The rest of the way to Riverwood was uneventful, and Caenth was so happy to finally get a chance to rest, and maybe a chance to bathe! The village was tightly nestled between two mountains, with nothing but a river, road, and a couple of houses crammed in-between. They walked into town, and made their way to a mill on a small island in the middle of the river.

"Gerdur and her husband Hod run the mill here in Riverwood. She should be here." Ralof said as he crossed the small footbridge connecting the town and the mill. He looked towards a blond Nord woman who was chopping wood behind the mill. This formidable woman must be Gerdur.

"Ralof! What are you doing here?!" Gerdur dropped her axe and ran towards her brother. "Hod, get down here!" She yelled up at her husband. "Ralof is here!"

"Hello Gerdur, I am sorry to show up with no notice, but we are in need of help. Have you seen anyone…Imperials… coming down the road from Helgen?"

"No, no one has come into town from that direction all day. Why, has something happened? Have you taken Helgen?" Gerdur asked.

"Are you sure? No, we haven't taken Helgen, but my unit was ambushed yesterday, and they took us to Helgen for execution. Jarl Ulfric was with me, but we got separated. Then you won't believe it, a DRAGON swooped down from the sky and saved us. Saved the jarl! We barely made it out of Helgen, and I don't know if anyone else is alive. If they are, they will be looking for us. We need a place to hide and rest. Can we stay with you?"

"A dragon! But, they haven't been seen in eras if they had ever really existed at all. The Jarl must know of this. I will send word right away." Gerdur turned to Caenth, and eyed her up and down. "You look as if you have been rung out. What is your name?"

As this conversation was playing out, Caenth started to feel lightheaded again, and was having trouble concentrating on what everyone was saying. The grass around the mill was looking very soft and inviting.

"Caenth…miss."

"Are you feeling alright?" Ralof asked as he grabbed her elbow "You are white as an ice wraith! And you're bleeding again."

Caenth looked down to her feet, and noticed that the pretty green grass was rushing up to greet her. And the world went dark.

* * *

The bed was so warm and comfortable, and Caenth didn't want to wake up. Someone was stroking her hair and placed a cool cloth on her forehead.

"Oh Finick! I had the worst dream! I dreamed of a dragon, and you were…" Caenth cried.

"Shh….you need your rest" replied an accented female voice. That was NOT Finick. Caenth opened her eyes and squinted in the firelight. This wasn't her cabin. It was very large, and much nicer than hers. This was… Riverwood!

Caenth tried to climb out of bed, but Gerdur pushed her back down among the piled furs. "Lay down, I won't tell you again. The bleeding has finally stopped, and I don't want it to start again on my floor. Now, who is Finick, and why were you with my brother? You don't look like a soldier."

Caenth wasn't listening. "I have to find Finick!"

Changing tactics, Gerdur quietly inquired: "Did you know you were with child, Caenth?"

Caenth's rant abruptly stopped and she stared wide-eyed at the older woman. "Y..Yes. What do you mean, _were_?" Caenth's brain was still foggy, and she didn't think she was completely comprehending what Gerdur was saying.

"I am sorry, but the child was lost. Was my brother the father?" Gerdur's eyes searched Caenth's face for any sign that this was true, but her face only showed shock and loss, no indication that Caenth had heard her.

"Oh…no… the baby." Caenth gasped. Finick was gone. Their baby was gone. She couldn't physically handle any more loss. Sobs rocked her body as she mourned. Gerdur awkwardly tried to rub her back while waiting for Caenth to calm down.

"I…we…Finick is my husband. Well, not officially. We never had a ceremony or an amulet of Mara, but we considered ourselves married. Riften was too far of a journey."

"Where is your…Finick, now?" Gerdur said. She didn't approve of relations outside of marriage, but this girl had probably seen enough for three lifetimes, and Gerdur couldn't condemn her.

"He is a soldier in Ulfric's Stormcloak army. One night, his unit was on a mission at the border with Cyrodiil, and he got separated from the other men. He got lost in the forest, and I found him, half dead, not far from my cabin, asI was returning from a hunt. I had no idea what to do with him."

"I know the feeling." Gerdur quipped.

"Yes, well, I dragged him in, and tried to bring him back. As he was recovering, he told me stories of all he had seen as a soldier, and we fell in love. I had been alone for such a long time. He was supposed to return to his unit, but he figured that they had already given him up for dead. So he stay for another two months, until a passing trader brought the news that the Stormcloaks were planning on taking Ivarstead. Those were Finick's people, and he felt that he had to rejoin and travel to the Rift. He promised that he would be back soon, but that was two months ago. I started to see signs of my condition, so I decided that I had to travel to Ivarstead to be with him. He had to know about our child, and I couldn't have the baby by myself in the mountains. I also hoped that we could go to Riften to get properly married before the eyes of Mara."

"And, you got caught coming down out of the mountains near the border?" Caenth nodded at Gerdur, and laid back in the furs. Finally telling her story had made her exhausted. She wanted to be alone to mourn.

"Well, you need to rest. Once you have your strength back, you can go to Whiterun and get a carriage to Ivarstead. I would put you up here, but with Ralof sleeping on the floor in front of the fire, I don't have room. I have spoken to Delphine at the inn, and she agreed to put you up while you recovered. When you are feeling well enough to walk, we will help you down there."

Caenth thanked Gerdur, and turned towards to wall to silently cry.


	3. Chapter 3

Ralof's shoulder had healed, and he had gotten word that Ulfric had escaped Helgen and made it back to Windhelm. He decided that for the glory of Skyrim, it was time for him to return to his duty with the Stormcloaks. Caenth was a little sad to see him go. He was her first real friend, besides Finick, and she had enjoyed the company. They would go for walks in the surrounding forest when he needed to get away from Gerdur's meddling. Caenth was still not strong enough to hunt, but the walks felt good in her cramped limbs. Sometimes while walking, they would swap hunting stories, or Ralof would tell the old Nord tales he had heard when he was a child. His favorite to tell was of Ysgramor and his mighty battle axe Wuuthrad, and how he conquered Skyrim for the Nords, driving out the evil Elves with his Five Hundred Companions. The Companions were five hundred no more, but Ralof had still wished to join them in Whiterun, as a child. When he grew into a man, the war broke out, and his path was to his brothers in arms, the Stormcloaks.

Caenth listened to his tales with rapt attention. Her father had told stories, but mostly of his days in the Imperial Legion. He had been in the Great War and fought in the Battle of the Red Ring, when the Empire had taken back the Imperial City from the Aldmeri Dominion. Her mother mostly told her stories of the different flora of the region, and about Kynareth, the goddess of the Nine Divines. It was nice listening to Ralof talk, with his heavy timbre. She mused one day while listening to him tell her a legend about Talos, that she wouldn't have minded meeting him first, before Finick. Ralof was strong and noble, and fun to talk to. But, his heart was with Skyrim. She was the only lady for him now.

The last day, Caenth walked with him as far as the bridge at the far end of town, which led to the road to Whiterun.

"You take care of yourself, girl. When you are strong enough, join us at Windhelm. Skyrim needs all of her people, right now. "

"I will find you, if I come to Windhelm. I need to find Finick, you know that. But if this search sends me to Ulfric, then I will be there." Caenth said as she handed Ralof his pack.

"Aye, girl. I hope you find what you are looking for. Take care." And with that, Ralof turned away, and headed to Windhelm.

* * *

Caenth spent most of her time at the inn, listening to Delphine and Orgnar bicker, or trying to tune out that horrible bard, Sven. The man really couldn't sing, and only seemed to know two songs. The Age of Aggression, which used in infuriate Ralof, and Ragnar the Red which always turned Caenth' stomach. Luckily, Sven wasn't playing tonight, but sitting in a corner with his beau Camilla, drinking and flirting. From where Caenth was sitting, she couldn't hear them, and for that she was supremely grateful. Camilla was the sister of Lucan Valerius, the Imperial owner of the Riverwood Trader. When Gerdur brought Caenth into the Trader to sell some of the pelts and items her and Ralof had collected from their departure from Helgen, Caenth had become very nervous when she learned that Lucan and Camilla were Imperials. She almost turned and ran, but Gerdur held her fast, whispering in her ear not to do anything foolish. Overtime, Caenth's skittishness faded, and she realized that the Valeriuses were no different than her, and just wanted to making a living in their little village. After bartering with Lucan, who was being too kind in price, Caenth walked away with a tidy sum of gold. She only kept a steel dagger, and a bow and arrows, selling everything else, including the ill-fitting Stormcloak armor. Now that she had some money, she was able to then convince Delphine to take payment for her stay at the inn.

Since Caenth was still recovering, she started to walk around the village, picking flowers and roots to sell to Delphine for her potions. The exercise was good for her, as was the practice of identifying the plants. It made her feel closer to her mother. She wished she had paid more attention to her lessons. She knew that thistle would protect against the cold, as she drank a lot of thistle tea during the winter when she was alone in the cabin. The countryside was dotted with mountain flowers, beautiful in their red, blue and purple. Delphine taught her that blue ones would restore her health if she was injured, purple would return her energy and stamina, and blue would restore magika. Caenth had no use for blue mountain flowers, but she started carrying red and purple ones in an attempt to hurry along her healing.

During one of these outings, she saw an elk up the road towards the Guardian Stones. It was majestic with a large set of antlers. She crouched behind some ferns, and silently drew her bow, and an iron arrow from her quiver that she always carried. The elk had no idea that she was there. She drew her arrow, and aimed. The arrow flew true, and hit the elk, but was not a kill shot. Caenth silently cursed. The elk spooked and started to run west, up river. Caenth got up and ran, trying to track the elk with her eyes. She drew her bow again, but this time she felt a crack in her shoulder, and a searing pain flooded her body. She crumpled to the ground, and watched the elk bound away.

"You shouldn't be hunting if you aren't strong enough to draw a bow."

Caenth jumped, trying to reach her dagger, which was underneath her. This hurt, and Caenth immediately regretted the movement. The voice came into view, and it belonged to a Wood Elf hunter. She only knew one Wood Elf, the man in Riverwood who chopped wood for Gerdur, but this was a hard looking female. The elf wore mismatched and crude hides, and also carried a long bow.

"I am strong enough," huffed Caenth, "I am just injured. I'd appreciate if you would let me be for some time."

"Your business. M y camp is just down behind the stones. If you regain your strength, that is where you can find me." the elf replied.

Caenth felt guilty for her rude treatment of the elf, but she was in pain from her injury, and in pain from her pride of being unable to take down the elk. She felt ashamed, and hoped that her ancestors couldn't see her at this moment. Caenth rolled carefully to her back, and with her good hand tried to reach her satchel, which had her plants. She took out some blue flowers she had gathered earlier, and wadded them up in her mouth. As she chewed them, she could feel some relief in her shoulder, and some of her strength coming back. She would still have to buy a potion from Delphine when she got back to the inn. Caenth laid there a little while longer, and as evening fell, she heard the crackling of a fire, and the wonderful smell of cooking meat.

She struggled to her feet, and stumbled down the dirt path behind the stones. She could see the hunter's camp up ahead. A fire, a tent, and an old tree stump with a fishing pole leaning against it. She had constructed such camps, herself, and it felt a little like a homecoming. The elf was sitting by the fire, skinning an elk, and placing pieces of meat over the flames.

"I was able to track him for you, and finish him off." the hunter said." Here, eat this." The hunter handed Caenth a venison chop, cooked to perfection. Caenth devoured the chop, completely forgetting her manners. After she had licked her fingers clean, she saw the elf smirking at her.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, but thank you for your help." Caenth told the hunter. "I would probably have stayed out there until the wolves came, if I hadn't smelled your cooking."

"I understand that. I would have probably done the same. What is your name, Nord?"

"My name is Caenth. What about you? What is your name?" Caenth asked the elf.

"It has been a longtime since I have used my name, but if I remember correctly, its Narue. "

Caenth stayed with Narue until the next morning, talking about hunting and waiting for some of her injury to heal. Caenth suspected that Narue was older than she looked, because her way of talking was antiquated, like some of the books that her mother read. She also talked of events from her home in Valenwood that Caenth didn't think were during her lifetime. The next morning, Caenth bid farewell to Narue, promising to come back in a few days to hunt with her, and limped back to the inn.

As she entered the inn, she heard the formidable voice of Delphine.

"We had written you off for dead, girl. We had Faendal out looking for your carcass." Faendal was the Wood Elf who worked at the mill, and another suiter of Camilla Valerius.

"I had a little accident, but I am ok now. I just need to rest and buy a potion." Caenth replied as she hobbled into her room. "By the way, Delphine, put this meat on the fire, we will be eating well tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

"You never should've come here!"

The bandits were closing in on Caenth as she brandished her daggers in front of her. She had been hunting, as usual, in the forest outside Riverwood, and had crossed the river to hunt under the shadow of Bleak Falls Barrow. The barrow was an ancient Nord tomb. Ralof had been afraid of the tomb, and swore that it was haunted. Caenth agreed that there was something ominous about the black arches that stuck up out of the mountain, but, she gave the barrow no mind today. Her strength had returned, and she had been making a nice profit bringing in hides to Alvor, the Riverwood blacksmith, who would show her how to tan and craft them into armor to sell. That was why she was out today, trying to hunt elk and wolves for pelts. She was coming down the hill, across the river from Narue's camp when she heard laughing behind her. She turned around and she was cornered by three bandits who were advancing on her.

"Well, look what we have here. Lost, little girl?" said a burly, fire-headed Nord, outfitted in ill-fitting iron armor. To her left was another, shorter Nord, and in the center was a tall, intimidating Nord woman wearing an iron helmet that obscured her face. She had a heavy broadsword strapped to her back, which she drew as she pushed towards Caenth.

"What gold and jewelry do you have? Give it over."

They were trying to push her towards the edge of the cliff, which was a steep drop to the river and rocks below. Caenth lunged at one of the bandits who jumped out of the way.

"Oh, you ARE feisty. Give us your gold."

Caenth took one last look over her shoulder, down to the churning river below. She wasn't afraid of heights, but she knew that the river was quite shallow in places. As she was calculating her chances for survival, the short bandit charged her. She rolled to the side, his rusty axe barely missing her. He rushed at her with too much power, and was unable to stop himself in time from going over the cliff. His body landed in the river below, and he never surfaced. Caenth had no choice. She jammed her daggers into her belt, and jumped. Time seemed to stop as she fell. Her last thoughts were of Sovngarde and Finick. Where was Finick?

The water was cold. She hit with a splash, and waited for her legs to slam into the rocks, but it never came. She came up for air and started floating with the current. She could hear the fury of the bandit chief above her. She was running down the bank to find a way to ford the river. Caenth started swimming west, away from the bandit and toward Lake Ilinalta. As she climbed up the embankment, she could hear yelling and the clashing of swords. Caenth crept along the bank, and crawled up a large boulder that separated the beach from the alcove where Narue's camp was. As she climbed the rock, she heard a painful moan, and then everything was quiet. Caenth froze in place, and tried to listen for movement. Finally, she heard someone moving around the camp, kicking things over. Caenth peeked over the boulder, and she could see the bandit chief and the fire-headed Nord going through the chest that Narue kept behind the tent. Her eyes searched for the hunter, and she spotted her, sprawled by the water, with an enormous wound, sliced along her torso. She wasn't moving. Caenth had led the bandits right to the hunter's home! She felt sick. She had lost her bow and arrows in the fall, so she wasn't sure what to do. She spied Narue's hunting bow and quiver leaning up again the boulder she was laying on. It was close enough, that if Caenth crept very slowly, she might be able to snatch it without the thugs seeing her.

She slid down the rock inch-by-inch and slowly snuck around the boulder. She grabbed the weapons, and melted back into the shadows. She climbed back up on the rock, just as the bandits finished ransacking the camp. They were examining a gold purse, and counting the coins. They weren't very smart, because they kept losing count. Caenth rolled her eyes, and then drew an arrow slowly to her bow. She pulled the wire, and aimed. The burly bandit was standing in her line of sight. She could see the soft flesh of his neck between the iron armor and the rough cut of his hair. She focused on this spot, and let her arrow go. It hit its mark, and went clean through his neck. He slumped to the ground, and the bandit chief jumped. She scanned her surroundings, looking for the stealthy archer. She spotted Caenth, and ran towards her screaming.

"Now you DIE, WENCH!" the woman bellowed as she charged with her broadsword in her hands. Caenth scrambled off the rock and dove back into the water. She wasn't going to try to take the lunatic head-on, so she started swimming. The bandit chief joined her in the water. Caenth thought to herself as she swam, that this was a dumb move. The weight of the woman's iron armor would make her tire easily and she would sink. Caenth knew there was an island off to her right with an abandoned hunter's camp that she sometimes used, so she dived under to make her way over. That was when she saw them. Slaughter fish. A dozen of them, shooting straight for her. They were nasty creatures, with razor sharp teeth, and they would lay their eggs in the remains of their prey. Caenth started to panic and swam as fast as she could towards the island. She pulled herself up, just as a fish snapped at her heels. It tried to follow her up on the land, but it gave up for easier prey. They had spotted the bandit thrashing behind her. Caenth didn't know what to do. She didn't want the woman to die this way, but it would be suicide for her to get back in the water. She watched, helplessly, as the thrashing in the water became less and less, until it finally ceased all together. A red haze filled the water. Caenth looked away.

She sat on a rock for some time, and watched rain clouds roll into the valley. She knew there was an abandoned boat on the far side of the island, so she went over, hoping it would still float.

Miraculously, it did. She climbed in and headed back to Narue's camp. Everything was as she had left it. Items strewn everywhere, and the hunter's body still lying silently down by the river. She pulled her back up to camp, and tried to arrange her in a more comfortable position. Caenth didn't know what to do. She didn't have the strength to bury the hunter, but she didn't want to leave her to go back to Riverwood to get someone to help. She cleaned up the camp, and gathered flowers. She wrapped Narue up in a tarp and placed the flowers on her chest. She didn't know much about Bosmer culture or beliefs, so she said a brief prayer to Kyne and pushed the body into the swift currents of the river. She watched her friend sail down the currents and hoped that wherever she was going, she found peace.

* * *

Afterwards, Caenth sat on the tree stump in the camp, and wept for her friend. She wept for Narue, Finick, her lost baby, her parents, and for every death she had witnessed in the last couple of weeks. At this moment, as she tended to her emotional wounds, she realized that she couldn't stay in this beautiful little village forever. She had to go on, and continue with her journey. She had to find Finick, and tell him about all that had happened, and to make a new life with him.

She cleaned up the camp, put away the tent and bedroll, and departed for Riverwood. She kept the hunting bow, which she named Narue's Justice. She would wield the bow in honor of her fallen friend.

She returned to the village, and started packing her few items. She bid Delphine and Orgnar goodbye, and walked to the mill to see Gerdur.

Gerdur gave her a long hug, and told to come back anytime. She also gave her some provisions for her walk to Whiterun. It would take a full day. Gerdur also reminded her to let the Jarl know that she was in Helgen for the dragon attack. He might want more information. She had sent a messenger the day Ralof and Caenth escaped Helgen, and in response, he sent guards to protect the village. They had heard from a courier who had come through town that a Khajiit caravan had been attacked by a dragon, and no one survived. Before this attack, no one believed that the dragon was real, but now a few more kept an eye on the sky.

Caenth grabbed her pack, took one last look at Riverwood, and crossed the bridge to Whiterun hold.

* * *

She walked down the winding road away from the mountain village. It was a rainy, dreary day, and she couldn't see more than five paces ahead of her. She wrapped her hood around her head and pulled her bags close.

The first part of the walk to Whiterun was uneventful. A few wolves crossed her path, but now she could dispatch them without worry. As she turned the last corner coming down the mountain the sky cleared and she could see far out over the hold. It was breathtaking. She had never seen anyplace so large.

She could see hawks, soaring in the distance, and miniature elk running on the plains. She could also see the whole of Whiterun, with its high stone walls, thatched houses, and the Jarl's palace practically scraping the sky.

Caenth's plan was to catch a cart to Ivarstad and see if she could track Finick. She guessed that once the Stormcloaks took the village, he would want to stay on and protect it and his family. Suddenly, Caenth began to have doubts. What if Finick expected her to be back at her cabin in the Jerall Mountains? What if he had come back for her, and found her gone? What if he had forgotten about her?

She stopped that thought right in its tracks. It would do no good to think that way. Finick loved her, and he promised to return after everything was settled in Ivarstad. Maybe, once she arrived, they could travel to Riften to have the priest at the Temple of Mara wed them.

Caenth daydreamed as she walked. She almost didn't notice the soldiers until she was on top of them. There were three soldiers of the Imperial Legion escorting a ragged but proud Nord down the path. As she passed, the soldier greeted her cheerfully.

"Where are you going?" Caenth asked cautiously. She wanted to find out more about the Nord man.

"Imperial business, citizen. We are taking this rebel prisoner back to Solitude to be tried for his crimes against the Empire." he replied. He was casual as he said it, clearly not afraid that she might challenge them to release the prisoner.

"What are his crimes, sir?" Caenth asked, the blood in her veins beginning to boil. This could be someone's Finick!

"He is a Stormcloak and a traitor. Do not interfere in Empire business, citizen." The soldier was becoming agitated. "Best be on your way."

He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and turn to push the prisoner in front of him. That was when the Nord turned and spoke to her.

"If you know any TRUE sons or daughters of Skyrim, tell them to make their way to Windhelm."

Caenth stayed rooted in place as she watched them walk down the hill. Something important was happening in her homeland of Skyrim, but she couldn't see the whole picture yet, and she didn't know how it was going to turn out. Imperials, Thalmor, Stormcloaks, Dragons. Things didn't look good for the Nord homeland.  
She continued walking, thinking about her future. As she walked along a stream, she could see the farms of Whiterun come into view. They were large farms that could feed hundreds of townfolks. In one of the cabbage patches, she could hear sounds of a struggle, and a strange voice shouting in an unintelligible language.

"Aig nar fous!"

"Go down, you damn behemoth!"

Caenth ran down the road, and drew her bow. She could see a man. The tallest man she had ever seen. He could easily see over top of a house, and he was wearing crude animal hides with long, stringy hair covering his face. He was swinging a massive bone club at three warriors who had surrounded him. Two of the warriors were up close, hacking away, and one archer was standing to the back. Caenth tipped the last of her Frost Spider poison from Helgen, on an arrow and set up a shot. She aimed and hit the goliath in the arm. It wasn't a great shot, but soon the poison took effect, and he fell backwards with a mighty boom.

The three warriors let out a collective sigh of relief, and turned to look at Caenth. The archer stepped forward, the obvious leader of the group. She was tall and lean, and Caenth guessed that under her intimidating warpaint which was slashed across her face, that she was quite beautiful. But with her bright red hair and the paint, she looked scary. Caenth thought to herself that the tall man probably died of fright. This brought forth a giggle, which did not go down well with the archer.

"Thanks for your help, but we had this." the archer said.

"Yes, it looks like you did." Caenth smarted back. She didn't expect gratitude or reward, she was just helping out some people in need. Maybe she should have helped the tall man and shot that archer right in the behind.

Ignoring the archer, Caenth turned to the other two warriors. One was a petite Imperial girl, no older than 18. Beside her was the second biggest man Caenth had ever seen. He was broad shouldered, with long black hair and smeared warpaint around his ice-blue eyes. She had never seen eyes that color before, and it took effort to look away from them.

"Who was that man?" Caenth asked them pointing to the slain behind them. It was Ice-Blue Eyes who replied.

"T'was no man, but a Giant. He was disturbing the peace on this farm and chasing the cows. It was our job to stop him."

"And who are you?"

"We are the Companions."

Caenth stood and regarded the three warriors before her. She knew of the Companions from the tales, but these were just normal people. She expected some sort of supernatural ability that dictated the successes of the fabled Companions, but there was nothing superhuman about them that she could see. They did have a sense of 'otherness' to them, but Caenth attributed that to pride of being a Companion.

"We live in Jorrvaskr in Whiterun." the small imperial squeaked. "My name is Ria, and this is Farkas and Aela. You should come up to Jorrvaskr and visit with us, if you are heading to Whiterun."

Farkas and Aela. So, Ice-Blue and Uber Wench had names. Caenth thought to herself.

This Ria seemed sweet, but Caenth still didn't trust the other two. She couldn't put her figure on it, but there was something…feral, about them.

"Well, I can't just now. I am on my way to Whiterun to catch a cart to Ivarstad. But, if it is ok, can I walk the rest of the  
way with you?" Caenth directed the question to Ria, but kept her eye on Farkas and Aela.

"Suit yourself." Aela called over her shoulder as she stalked towards town. Farkas had a befuddled look on his face as he examined Caenth, which made her a little uncomfortable. Ria was chattering away in her ear, and they marched back to Whiterun.

By the time they reached the stables in front of the main gates, she knew the complete history of the Companions, not to mention their complete drinking habits. She bid farewell to the Companions, and turned to speak with the stableboy tending his horses.

"What time does the cart arrive?" she asked him.

"In a couple of hours, or so. He will pull up right here in front.." The stableboy replied.

So Caenth made herself comfortable on a split log by the road, and soaked up the late morning sunshine. She must have fallen asleep, because she woke with a start when the cart rolled in, just inches from her toes.

"Watch out, miss! I don't want to run ya over!" the cart driver yelled down to her. Caenth stood up and grabbed her bags as she watched people getting out of the cart to go to Whiterun. That was when she saw him, a Stormcloak soldier. He was wearing a burlap cloak which didn't hide his armor very well. He was limping and looked bruised and battered. Caenth started towards him.

"Sir! Were you at Ivarstad?"

The soldier turned around with wide eyes, and looked left and right before pulling Caenth behind the cart.  
"Shhh. I am trying not to draw attention to myself. I would just like to go home. Now, why do you want to know about Ivarstad?" The soldier held Caenth's arm in a tight grip, and she was starting to get very nervous.

"I…I am trying to find Finick Lostfoot, of Ivarstad. He was with the Stormcloaks heading to Ivarstad to secure the village. I haven't heard from him and it is very important that I find him." Caenth explained as she tried to loosen his grip.

"Finick Lostfoot? That name means nothing to me, but there were many men at the ambush of Ivarstad. I don't know if the news of the siege has reached you, but we were routed. We marched from Falkreath across the mountains and when we got close to Ivarstad, we were attacked by Imperial and Thalmor troops. Many of our brothers were killed, and many more were taken prisoner by the Thalmor. I am not sure where they were taken. I only made it out alive, because they mistook me for dead, and left me there. Once they were gone, I crawled to the village and begged this cart driver to bring me here. Ivarstad is in the hands of the Empire now. If your Finick isn't dead, he was most certainly captured. I am sorry, miss."

Caenth didn't know what to say. She crumpled to the ground, and soldier squatted next to her.  
"Do you have anywhere to go, lass?"

Caenth ignored him and stared out at the vast mountain that separated her from Ivarstad. After many minutes of no response, the soldier limped off to the town, and the cart driver drove away on his route. Caenth was alone and had nowhere to go.


End file.
